


No Matter Where We Go, There We Are

by retrovertigo (ellameno)



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Newton Geiszler, Asexual Relationship, Halloween, M/M, Post-Drift (Pacific Rim), Public Display of Affection, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-13 23:16:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16481621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellameno/pseuds/retrovertigo
Summary: During the first Halloween since the apocalypse was cancelled, Hermann and Newt indulge in old Shatterdome traditions while feeling out their new relationship.





	No Matter Where We Go, There We Are

**Author's Note:**

> As always, here is the ace rep from me! A lot of this is based off my own qp relationship but condensed down a bit. Title is a Buckaroo Banzai joke.
> 
> My prompts were non-sexual PDA and Shatterdome Halloween Traditions.  
> CW: For alcohol use.

        “No, I _don’t_ want to go trick-or-treating, Newton.”

        “But baaaaaaaaaaaaaaabe,” Newt whined. “It’s Halloween!”

        “We are adults,” he said, slow and firm.

        “Literally the whole goddamn Shatterdome is adults, that doesn’t stop anyone from having _fun_.”

        It was true. Someone in Los Angeles once had the bright idea to turn dorm rooms into ‘porches’ and the tradition infected every other base like a virus. Now each year, groups of giggling (often tipsy) employees would make the rounds collecting candies, imported snacks, or merely odd nick-nacks that would later be traded in the canteen at lunch. ‘Fun’ was highly subject.

        If he took part at all, Hermann much preferred the more low-key get togethers in break rooms, where he could sip hot spiced rum and forget things like monsters. However, monsters were no more.

        Newt pouted at him from across the room, and now that they’d shared a mind he knew how truly disappointed his partner was when Hermann denied him these silly things. Though, Newt should know damn well that Hermann hated looking childish or unprofessional in front of his peers.

        “Newton.” Hermann rubbed his temples. “If I… indulge you--” It was comical how Newt perked up like an alert puppy— “We do one floor and then we spend the rest of the evening at Commander Choi’s party.”

        “Yes.” Newt rushed over to Hermann’s workstation. “Oh my god, yes, babe, thank you I love you,” he rambled as he hugged him. Maybe Hermann had misjudged how much Halloween meant to Newt.

        ---

        The halls were bustling with costumes this year, likely due to no more Kaiju attacks on the schedule.

        “Which route do you wanna take, Herm?” Newt asked, peering over his sunglasses. He’d been on a quest to dress up as every Jeff Goldblum character, but he brought back his Ian Malcolm costume now that Hermann reluctantly agreed to be Alan Grant.

        “The fastest.” Hermann fussed with his neckerchief in unease as a few passing engineers whispered something. While he didn’t mind wearing costumes at his desk, parading through the halls was just mortifying.

        “If we swing around this way, we can hit the usually more active row of dorms.”

        “Fine, that’s fine,” Hermann muttered.

        As they walked, Hermann felt fingers brush his own, and then Newt grip them entirely. Hermann batted his hand away.

        Newt flashed him a look. “What the fuck, dude?”

        “Not in public.”

        His shoulders slumped. “Are you serious?”

        “We’re not officially _out_ yet,” Hermann hissed.

        “Isn’t this a good time as any? Everyone’s too preoccupied to even notice.”

        “Newton, stop. I already feel foolish trick-or-treating, I don’t need to hold your hand like I’m an infant too.”

        “God, dude, you could just say ‘I feel uncomfortable’ you don’t have to diss me.”

        There was a pause. “ _Sorry._ ”

        Newt said nothing as he pounded next to an open door. Someone hopped over with a bowl of unpackaged PPDC chocolates — which seemed unsanitary and horribly _messy_.

        “Newt! Jurassic Park again?” the Speed Racer asked.

        “Yeah, I can’t afford a new cosplay yet, but I’m waiting on that ‘saving the world check’,” he crowed before popping a candy in his mouth. “These aren’t laced with anything, are they?”

        “Just the holiday spirit,” they joked. “And thanks for risking your necks like that. Both of you.” Their eyes moved to Hermann, and they held out the bowl. “Generic Chocolate Covered Whipped Nougat Snack?”

        “No thanks, I’m actually just the chaperone,” Hermann deadpanned, which got a scowl from Newt.

        They stopped by a few more doors, Newt basking in the praise of his co-workers, taking handfuls of candy while Hermann meticulously selected the treats he couldn’t bring himself to pass up.

        Finally they reached a dorm that had two familiar voices conversing inside.

        “Knock, knock, guess who saved the world!” Newt hollered.

        “ _We_ did.” Mako stepped out, dressed as Furiosa right down to the shorn hair. She noticed Hermann and took a sharp inhale. “You showed up this year! Wait there, I have something good for you.”

        “You mean him or both of us,” Newt asked as she flew back into the room. Hermann could see Raleigh wave sheepishly while chewing something.

        When Mako returned, she dropped several packages of high-end chocolate orange biscuits into Hermann’s very empty pillow case. “I bought them for me, but I’ll always share with friends.”

        “Thank you, Ranger Mori, that’s kind,” Hermann said. He had no inkling she’d been waiting for him to stop by all these years.

        “It’s _Makoooooo_ ,” she replied. “I’m retired now.”

        “Where’s mine?” Newt asked.

        Mako held out a different bowl. “Fun sized.”

        ---

        “Dr. Gottlieb, you’re late, you had me worried sick,” Tendo lamented with fake dramatics as they entered the break room. “Cute costume, though. Did Newt bully you into it?”

        “In a sense,” Hermann replied.

        “And Newt came as an ego-maniacal doctor. _Again._ And did you _really_ need a costume for that?”

        “Very funny, what are you supposed to be? Snidely Whiplash?” Newt asked, noting the drawn on mustache.

        “Oh please, it’s not like I haven’t talked your ear off about my telenovelas. Anyway, better than that year you were New Jersey and I was Buckaroo Banzai and everyone asked me why I didn’t dress up.” His eyes darted between the scientists. “Looks like I’ve finally been replaced for the couples costumes. The end of an era.”

        Tendo beckoned them in to sit. Unfortunately there was only an armchair open and Newt knew they designated it for Hermann. Newt’s own leg was kind of cramping up, perhaps a phantom pain leftover from the drift, who could say.

        As the party went on and the two finished their first drinks, Newt’s balance got worse. He leaned against the armchair, trying to take the weight off that still twinging leg. Hermann stared up at him in question, but Newt smiled and tried to shrug it off.

        “Here, take my chair for a moment,” Hermann said, as if reading his mind. “I’m going to run to the loo — that rum went right through me.”

        Newt sat in it awkwardly and watched the party go on without him. There were many people paired off, the nature of their relationships unknown, but still looking quite comfortable draped in each other’s space. Despite he and Hermann becoming more inseparable than ever, it felt they were more distant in public than before. Not that Hermann was ashamed of their relationship, it was more that he hated the conclusions people jumped to. He just didn’t think people would _understand_ even if they explained everything in detail. Hell, Hermann didn’t even understand what things were between them until he drifted with Newt. So it was better to just pretend nothing had changed.

        Still, it made Newt’s stomach hurt.

        Hermann finally returned and accepted another drink from Tendo. Newt attempted to climb out of the chair but he’d sunken in and his limbs were so _heavy_.

        “S-Sorry,” Newt muttered as he again tried to pry himself from it.

        “S’fine, just skooch over a tad,” Hermann said, waving his hand. Newt’s eyes widened, but he obeyed, and sure enough Hermann sat half in his lap with his legs hanging over the arm. He sipped from the mug. “There was a line for the men’s room but luckily a girl snuck me into the ladies room.” His gaze flashed to Newt. “Don’t tell.”

        “I-I won’t,” Newt replied, still floored by this sudden familiarity in mixed company.

        “Gender is silly anyway. Especially for a toilet, good God.”

        Newt’s eyes swept the room, nearly terrified that people would stare even though he’d been the one longing for Hermann to let them make their closeness known. Despite being in his thirties, he'd never actually been in a physical relationship before. Being visible like this was uncharted territory, things a High Schooler would have more experience in. The butterflies began to frenzy. His gaze finally met Tendo’s, who then plopped himself in the lap of a hammerhead shark.

        “What’s better than gals being pals?” Tendo asked. Newt knew better than to think Tendo was mocking them —  it was more likely he was trying to take the attention off them.

        “Get off me Choi,” the shark growled.

        “What, we’re getting cozy tonight.”

        They pushed him. “Your ass is hurting my leg.”

        “Well I’m sorry your leg is so boney — get some thigh-meat, dammit,” he said as he stood up.

        “I was also thinking,” Hermann resumed, “if we get stationed somewhere else we should ask for a joint room.”

        “O-Oh, maybe.” Newt’s head swam. “Hey, maybe I’ll get another drink.”

        “Oh, have some of mine,” Hermann said, handing it to him. Drinking from the same cup — didn’t Hermann always find that unsanitary? Was this an indirect kiss? _God, Newt, are you twelve?_

        A red-riding-hood rose from the couch. “It’s been fun, guys.” She stretched her arms above her head. “But I’m gonna head to Tavisha’s party.”

        “Traitor,” Tendo snapped.

        “Well she’s my _girlfriend_.”

        “Still.”

        She turned to the scientists. “You can have my seat, doctor.”

        “I’m fine, thank you, though,” Hermann said. “Have a good night.”

        Newt prayed he wasn’t the same shade as the woman’s costume.

        The room filled in and out with more people and still Hermann melted into him, even carrying on conversation with co-workers while fussing with the other man’s collar. Newt’s ears rang and he couldn’t help but feel flustered about every little touch.

        He overheard an exchange near them. “So are they... dating?” asked a space cowboy. “I thought… uh…”

        “I mean, they drifted, dude,” Tendo replied.

        “Oh. Oh yeah that’s true. That’s wild.”

        “Right? I’m jealous. I wish _I_ had a drift partner.”

        “I dunno if I have the stomach for psychic intimacy, to be honest.”

        Tendo shrugged. “To each their own I guess.”

        Suddenly Newt’s fears drained away, and he gazed at Hermann, who smirked back.

        “Hey… is this consensual?” Newt asked.

        “Consensual chair-sharing?” Hermann chuckled.

        “You’ve had a drink and a half.”

        “Sometimes you need a little rum and a drift to remind you how you keep sabotaging your own happiness. Like they said, we've already melded minds, it's not as if you could ever pry us apart at this point. Might as well lean into it.” He rolled his neck. “Besides… it’s a good time as any, right? Here. With friends. On our favorite holiday.”

        Newt smiled. “Right.”

        “I think we‘ve improved the party tenfold. It’s rather humourous to see Dr. Grant in the arms of Ian Malcolm,” Hermann said lazily. Newt snorted. “In the chance any of this leaves this room and I regret my whole everything, just say Choi spiked the punch.” His gaze returned to Newt. “But, I doubt I’d ever regret anyone knowing I love you. Even if they don’t quite understand.”

        “Thanks, babe,” Newt whispered. "Now I think I'm the one overwhelmed by PDA."

        “Don't worry, I won't kiss you," Hermann said with a wink. Newt laughed, and he felt drunk on bliss alone.

        “Alright, who wants to play truth or dare?” Tendo announced.

        “Not I!” Hermann called as Newt cautiously played with his hair. “I could never be _that_ inebriated.”

**Author's Note:**

> Linking [my art/fanworks blog](http://tommytonebender.tumblr.com) and my PR Twitter is @BombshellEulogy


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